


Blurring the Line

by thingcalledlove



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Brio - Freeform, Canon Divergence, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Humor, I Tried, Misunderstandings, borderline crack fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-01 23:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14531358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thingcalledlove/pseuds/thingcalledlove
Summary: Of all the places she expected when she pulled up, this definitely had not crossed her mind.[A cracky little fic that ignores the end of 1.09 and all of 1.10]





	1. Got Wood?

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something fun and easy, and just kind ignore all the angst that was dropped on us during the last two episodes. Enjoy. 
> 
> (P.S. Someone please take my laptop from me. I can't stop writing Brio fics.)

“You busy?”

“Hello Rio, I’m fine, thank you for asking,” Beth replied more flippantly than she maybe should have, considering who she was dealing with, but she was also getting real tired of his lack of manners. She held the phone precariously between her ear and her shoulder as she stuffed the last of the mornings breakfast dishes into the dishwasher.

“I’m texting you an address. Meet me there. One hour. Just you,” he replied, ignoring her comments completely before hanging up.

“Rude,” Beth muttered to herself as she set down the phone. She contemplated standing him up, but that would probably be more trouble than it was worth. With a sigh she trudged into her bedroom to swap out her stained t-shirt and flannel pyjamas for something a little bit more socially acceptable.

\- - -

Of all the places she expected when she pulled up, this definitely had not crossed her mind. Rio was leaning against his car a few spots down from the one she had pulled into. He joined her as she got out and looked up at the high end showroom they were in front of.

With a tilt of her head she asked, “Is this some new money laundering business idea?” It made sense. Lots of money would pass through this place, but a majority of it seemed like it would be done via cheque, rather than cash. It was _that_ kind of place.

“No,” Rio answered simply, moving towards the entrance.

“Okay...” Beth prompted, waiting for more of an explanation. She huffed when she didn’t get one and stopped right there in the middle of the parking lot. “Either you fill me in, or I turn around and get back in my car.”

They were at a standstill, then, “I’m renovating. Need a second opinion.”

Beth wasn’t sure she had heard that right.

“Besides,” Rio continued with a wicked smirk, “If I walk in alone, they’ll think I’m tryna rob the place.”

He started walking forward again, and Beth found herself following as she processed the current situation. She wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she was intrigued.

The showroom was even more high end than Beth expected. It had a clean, simple, classic vibe to it that you only found in things that didn’t need to try to be expensive, simply because they so clearly were. This wasn’t a Michael Kors or Kate Spade tote bag, this was a straight up Hermes Birkin bag.

She side-eyed Rio as he walked in like he owned the place in a navy blue button up and black pants. His neck tattoo was the only thing that would stand out amongst this crowd. How much money did he have? And why the hell were they not getting a bigger cut of it? Clearly he could share the wealth if this was his go to place for custom home renovations. They didn’t even seem to have prices on anything. Money was definitely not an issue for the people in this place it seemed. 

Beth followed Rio towards the back of the showroom to the area that they had sectioned off specifically for kitchens. The model kitchens were beyond gorgeous, and Beth would have loved to have any of them, but they didn’t seem like a kitchen that would work for anyone with kids.

In contrast, Rio didn’t look impressed at any of the options before him. A sales woman dressed in a tight pencil skirt and billowy white shirt approached them with a pasted on smile. Beth pursed her lips, as the put-together blonde halted before them.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” She asked in a clipped tone, subtly eyeing Rio and his tattoo. It was clear she didn’t think he belonged here. She paused to give Beth a onceover before writing her off completely. It made Beth seethe.

“I’m looking to do some custom work,” Rio drawled out, amping up the gravelly tone of his. The saleswoman seemed to be momentarily stunned. Beth didn’t blame her. That voice could make even the most stubborn people weak in the knees. It oozed sex appeal.

“I’m sure you will find everything you’re looking for in the warehouse in the back. We normally don’t let our clients back there, but I think we can make an exception just this once,” she said with a playful wink, her tone completely different from the one she started the conversation with.

“That will be great, thanks,” Beth cut in as she stepped up next to Rio for a reason she didn’t want to think about too deeply, “We can mange from here.”

It was polite, but it very much indicated the end of the conversation. When Rio didn’t say anything, the saleswoman gave a tight smile and walked off.

He silently quirked an eyebrow. Beth opted to ignore it, and headed towards the back warehouse.

It was massive.

Rows upon rows of massive sample slabs were laid out neatly by type and then colour coded precisely, not single thing out of place. They hung from their custom shelving units like most stores showcased posters, making it easy to literally flip through the options.

“So what did you have in mind?” Beth asked, sounding a little out of breath as she took it all in. “Granite? Marble?”

“Nah, that shit’s too porous. Makes it hard to clean. Breeding ground for bacteria,” Rio answered distractedly. His eyes wandered over the rows, looking for something. “Don’t get me started on citrus again.”

“That’s the top of line when it comes to countertops,” Beth argued back as she lightly fingered the nearest slab of off-white marble, though the citrus conversation was coming back to her now. Something about it making marble erode like crazy. “You’re only other option would be Quartz, which isn’t terrible, I guess.”

“It ain’t heat resistant,” Rio countered easily. He seemed to have finally spotted what he had been searching for. He began walking through the aisle, Beth on his heels until they stopped in front of a section of slabs under the heading of _Lava Stone._

“What the hell is lava stone?” Beth questioned.

“It’s what my new counters are gonna be made of.”

Beth rolled her eyes. She had to admit though, as she perused the samples, it wasn’t bad. It also appeared to come in every colour under the sun. She noticed a little card tucked in the corner of the display which gave a very brief description of the product:

_This material is durable and very strong. It handles impact fairly well. The glazed surface is nonporous, so it won’t harbor bacteria, making it easier to clean and sanitize. It resists heat very well and won’t stain or fade._

Well that explained why Rio wanted it so badly. It was literally the counter of his dreams. A small smile tugged at her lips. She snuck a long glance at Rio while he meticulously flipped through the slabs, his brows furrowed.

None of this should have been a surprise to her if she really considered it. Rio was an anomaly. A gangbanger who knew more about countertops than anyone on HGTV. Then again, he also drank tea, which she didn’t judge, but still. He also seemed to know a lot about and have exquisite taste in diamonds and probably many other valuable jewels.

“I’m thinking white,” Rio mused, pulling her out of her thoughts, “What do you think?”

Beth carefully examined the piece he was holding on to.

“You really can’t go wrong with white,” Beth agreed finally, “But if you tell me what you have planned for your kitchen, I can be more helpful.”

“What do you want to know? It’s a kitchen.”

“Colours? Like is it going to be a purely white kitchen?”

“White countertops, light grey cabinets, island with seating.”

“If you’re going with grey cabinets, I agree with the white countertops.” She could already picture it in her mind, and it looked good. Though...she gave him a thoughtful look that he picked up on immediately.

“What?” He asked.

“If your island is going to double as a table, I suggest butcher block instead of lava rock for that. It would give the room a little contrast, and make it feel more cozy. You know, if that is what you’re going for.” It was said with a shrug.

There wasn’t much she knew about Rio if she was being truthful, but he still didn’t strike her as a the kind of guy with a sleek, modern kitchen. Not with his subtle quirks. Besides, any guy that knew about lava rock countertops would know how important it would be to have an inviting kitchen. Then again, maybe he was planning on using it as a makeshift operating table, in which case, the lava rock would indeed be ideal.

“It won’t hurt to look,” Beth implored with a dazzling smile. Begrudgingly, it seemed, Rio nodded once, and followed Beth towards the part of the warehouse where the butcher blocks were being displayed.

Beth couldn’t help the sigh of longing that left her lips as she lovingly caressed the fine wood slabs. She swore she could hear Rio snickering behind her, but when she glanced over at him, his face was expressionless, minus the glint of amusement in his eyes.

“I don’t even think you understand how much I would love to have a butcher block countertop in my kitchen,” Beth sighed, “It would be a dream, especially with four very picky and very opinionated children around. I could cut up everything. Everything!”

“So which colour you think would look best with the grey?”

Beth spun on her heels excitedly, “Seriously?”

He smirked at her, “Yeah.”

“Definitely a lighter wood, how about this one?” pointing out a light beachwood. “I would go for the more rustic looking beach wood, but I don’t know if that would fit your design. Plain beachwood would suit you more I think.”

“Alright,” Rio nodded, examining the wood for himself. “It’ll be a bitch to clean, but it could work.”

There was a give and take with Rio that she never felt with Dean, but there was also a respect. He genuinely cared about what she had to say, even if he completely disagreed. He would at least take the time to hear her out before shutting her down, but even with that, he always took the time, sometimes unwillingly, to explain why. Give it to her straight.

She felt drawn to him. He was both unattainable, yet so damn close. Their gazes were locked, and she could feel her heart begin to speed up. She unconsciously took a step forward.

“Have you found everything alright?” A voice interrupted from behind Beth. She turned to find a different sales associate behind her. He was dressed to the nines like the blonde had been, but he seemed a little friendlier.

“Um, yeah,” Beth explained before Rio could open his mouth, “This butcher block is amazing. I think we’ll be taking this one.”

“Certainly,” He nodded towards her, then looking over at Rio, “Happy wife, happy life, right?”

“Right,” Rio agreed easily, a smile playing on his lips while Beth tried to ignore the butterflies that had suddenly exploded in her stomach. She opened her mouth to correct him, but Rio opened his first, “Looking to do some custom work. Need about 15 square feet of this uncut for the island.”

“Big island,” The man said as he pulled out a pen and order pad and jotted it down.

“Well you know,” Rio said as he slung his arm over Beth’s shoulder, “Four kids and all.”

“Four? Wow,” The sales associated exclaimed, “Must keep you both very busy.”

“It’s all her,” Rio agreed with a smile. Beth was having a hard time believing that Rio was playing along with the notion of them, of all people, being married. Apparently in this fictional world, he had no problem adopting her kids either. That should not have created another explosion of butterflies, but it had.

“Well at $250 per square foot for this specific piece, it’ll run you about $3,750 before taxes,” he looked between the two.

3,750 dollars. For a slab of wood.

Beth was flabbergasted. Rio just shrugged.

“I’ll also need about 30 square feet of the white lava rock. 3 by 4 for the first piece and 3 by 6 for the second,” Rio instructed.

“Lava rock, good choice,” their new friend commented, “That will run you about $300 per square foot, so you’ll be looking at another $9,000 for that.”

“Throw in a couple boxes of white subway tile that matches the white lava rock, yeah?”

“Absolutely sir, we can get that done for you immediately.”

“You’re okay with the subway tile for the backsplash, right darling?” Rio asked, looking down a her with a grin. His arm was still around her, and their faces were mere inches apart.

“I kind of wanted the marble,” Beth said with a pout, because two could play this game. “But I know how you feel about citrus.”

Rio laughed a genuine laugh that had her flushing with pride.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Rio promised once his laughter subsided. His tone sent a wave of pleasure through her. Her eyes instantly heated under the fire in his.

The sales associate coughed politely, looking a tiny bit uncomfortable. “I can see why you guys have four kids,” breaking the silence further. “Anyways, I’ll just go ring this up for you out front.”

They followed behind, Rio finally removing his arm from around her. She would never admit how much she missed the contact once it was gone.

At the front, Rio didn’t so much as blink when presented with the total cost of _their_ purchases. Beth did her best to not look as stunned as she felt. Meanwhile, Rio cut a cheque for twenty grand like it was chump change. For him, it may as well have been.

Outside, Rio walked her to her car in silence, hands in his pockets, taking a leisurely pace.

“See you next week, yeah,” he stated, “Usual pickup.”

Beth just nodded as she got in her car. He was back to being the Rio she was familiar with, but the butterflies in her stomach didn’t seem to get that message because they were still flapping away wildly. She huffed in annoyance, but a smile still erupted from her lips. Dare she admit that she actually had fun?

\- - -

Three days later, Beth was startled by a knock on the door. The kids were at school, and Dean was at work. So were Annie and Ruby. Rio was more of a break and enter kind of guy, so it couldn’t have been him either.

She peered through the peephole to see a man with a clipboard. Cautiously she opened the door.

“Elizabeth Boland?”

“Yes,” Beth replied hesitantly. “Can I help you?”

“We’re here for the install,” the man said as he waved a few more people over from the truck parked out front.

“What install?” Beth questioned. She hadn’t ordered an installation for anything.

“You’re island countertop,” The man confirmed, as four more men approached carrying a slab of the rustic butcher board between them that Beth had longingly admired at the showroom the other day.

“I didn’t order that,” Beth announced, still feeling confused.

“Well someone did, and this is where they paid to have it delivered.”

Beth blinked.

“I mean I guess I could take it back if you don’t want it…”

“No,” Beth jumped in finally, “I mean if you’re here, you might as well put it in.”

That is how Beth found herself watching five men trading in her laminate island countertop for a top of the line butcher block counter instead.

That is also when those fucking butterflies decided to spontaneously combust once more.


	2. Diamonds are Forever

“You must have done _something_ ,” Annie insisted as she ran her hands over the gorgeous wood countertop.

Beth shook her head, “Nope, complete surprise.”

Annie didn’t look like she bought it, and neither did Ruby for that matter, but it didn’t change the fact that Beth really had not done anything. Well nothing illicit as her sister and best friend seemed to be implying.

“So where’s my brand new countertop?” Ruby asked with a raised brow.

Again, Beth shrugged, but there was a smile playing upon her lips.

“Clearly,” Annie announced, “Rio has favourites...and it’s not us.”

Beth could feel herself flushing, but there wasn’t much she could reasonably say to distant herself from the accusation. Not when it sort of appeared to ring true to a degree.

“Not my fault that I was voted to be the point person in all of this,” Beth replied innocently, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Voted?” Ruby countered, “You volunteered.”

Beth laughed, and the girls soon joined her.

“To crime!” Annie exclaimed, holding up her own piping hot cup of coffee. They clinked their glasses together and promptly fell into another fit of giggles.

“I think gang friend's got a crush on our dear ole Beth,” Annie conspired with a tilt of her head.

“What?” Beth asked aghast, “No...he’s like...ten years younger than me or something.”

“Maybe he has a thing for Mrs. Robinson,” Ruby teased.

“Oh shut up,” Beth said halfheartedly as her phone vibrated on the countertop.

“It’s from _Rio_ ,” Annie taunted childishly, holding the phone up with a maniacal grin.

Beth stole it back from her sister and unlocked her phone to read the text. Once again it simply stated an address and a command to meet him there in about an hour and a half.

“Definitely a crush,” Ruby nodded with assurance, “But _who_ likes _who_?”

\- - -  

The text had told her to meet him inside the nondescript, two-storey, white building. It was in a much nicer neighbourhood in the greater Detroit area, however nothing about this building seemed all that special. It was tucked in the corner, with a small parking lot that consisted of about five cars if you included Beth’s.

She approached the door slowly, looking for any sort of sign that would indicate what lay beyond. She truly had no idea what she was walking into.

She tried the door, but it didn’t open. It was locked. After a few seconds of searching, she found a button that would allow her to buzz in. She tapped it.

A voice came through the small intercom, “Name?”

“Uh...Beth?”

“Full name please?” the voice prompted, sounding a little annoyed.

“Beth Boland...Elizabeth Boland.”

There was clicking sound and the door opened. Beth stepped through and the door automatically closed behind her. A second set of doors opened as soon as the former doors were shut. Beth hurried through this set to find a staircase. She headed up and stepped into a jewelry store. A very, very luxurious jewelry store.

The floors where a thick black hardwood, and the entire room was lined with counters that displayed the most marvelous jewels that Beth had ever seen. In the middle of the room was a plush white couch that had furs draped over it. There were full length mirrors in every corner and the number of lights were almost blinding.

Rio stood by one of the counters examining a couple of diamonds that sat on a black velvet cushion. He looked up as she entered.

“Elizabeth,” he greeted.

“Rio,” Beth replied, “Sorry I’m late,” even though she wasn’t. She approached him and smiled at the woman on the other side of the counter that must have been assisting him.

“Elizabeth, this is Sophia,” making a quick introduction, “Sophia, this is Elizabeth, my girlfriend.”

Beth didn’t balk. She just continued to smile pleasantly. It appeared that they were going to be playing that game again, now she just had to figure out why.

“Well now that Elizabeth is here, should I bring out the options as requested?” Sophia asked kindly.

Rio just nodded, turning back to the cushion of diamonds in front of him.

Beth peered down as well and was stunned by the size of those things. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that these were fake.”

There were a variety of cuts and sizes laid out for their viewing pleasure.

“Which ones you like?” Rio asked, tilting his head toward her and then back at the diamonds.

Beth looked at them again, this time a little more slowly, “Call me old fashioned,” Beth finally said, “But the round ones just speak to me, especially when it comes to being set in a ring.”

“Those are the most expensive,” Rio nodded approvingly, “Hardest to cut, easiest to damage. Rare to find a flawless round cut that’s over 3 carats.” 

Beth gave him a long look. “Is there anything you don’t know everything about?”

He didn’t reply, making Beth frown further. Alright then.

Thankfully, Sophia came back out at that moment. She was carrying a necklace display in each hand. She set them down on the table easily.

It took a lot of effort for Beth to keep her jaw from hitting the ground.

This. This was something else.

The  displays held gorgeous cascading necklaces that looked like they belonged in a museum, or on the neck of a member of the royal family.

Both would be classified as diamond necklaces, however the first had a few sapphires scattered about and the second contained an entire row of emeralds.

Sophia undid the diamond and emerald necklace and held it out for Rio. He accepted the necklace and then leaned in to whisper something to Sophia that Beth could not make out. Sophia nodded once and then gathered up the black cushion of diamonds and headed back out the door she had had entered from.

“Lift your hair,” Rio requested softly.

Beth did as asked, lifting up her short hair. Her heart sped up as Rio approached. More gently than she would have thought him capable of, he draped the cold necklace over her collarbone and clasped it shut. His fingers grazed the skin at the back of her neck as she let her hair fall back down.

His hands grasped her hips and he turned them both so that they were facing one of the many full length mirrors. The first thing Beth noticed was how he towered over her, hands still on her hips and his lips a fraction of an inch away from her ear.

The second thing she noticed was how utterly incredibly the necklace was. It cascaded down her neck, feeling both heavily and cold, but indescribably beautiful. Beth was thankful she had chosen to wear a v-neck this morning.

“I know this isn’t for me,” Beth mused finally. Her eyes met Rio’s in the mirror, and she could see the same fire in them she had seen the last time they played similar roles.

“It’s not,” Rio agreed.

“Then why didn’t you bring the intended recipient to play model?”

“It’s a gift.”

Beth was intrigued. Who the hell was Rio buying a gift like this for? It could not have been for a significant other, otherwise he would not have introduced Beth as his girlfriend. Maybe a family member.

“My sister,” Rio cut in looking amused.

Beth blushed, realizing her inner monologue may not have been all that inner. It wasn’t her fault that sometimes she needed to speak her thoughts to work things out. She just had not intended now to be one of said times.

“She’s graduating with her Masters,” Rio continued, a string of pride in his voice he couldn’t disguise. Instead his fingers were back on her neck, undoing the little clasps in the back as he worked the piece of jewelry off of Beth.

Sophia returned from the back room just as Rio returned the necklace to the display it had previously sat on. She undid the second one for him.

Without being told, Beth lifted up her hair as Rio once again maneuvered the fine piece of diamonds and sapphires around Beth’s throat. This time, the top of the necklace fit like a choker, before it loosened to fall down and over her clavicle. Beth let her hair drop down again, but Rio gathered it up in a fist and lifted it back up.

His grip on her hair was heady. Not rough, but still firm. She was so focused on the feel of him that it took her a moment to admire the stones that decorated her neck. Breathtaking. It was the only thought that formed in her mind.

“Not everyone could pull this off,” Rio purred into her ear in that low gravelly voice of his. At some point he had stepped in closer. His front was pressed up lightly against her back. His free hand was around her waist, fingers playing with the soft material of her shirt.

Beth could feel herself heating up as she watched them in the mirror. His dark to her light, so different, but fitting together so well. He wasn’t one for talking, but the reflection of his eyes told her everything she needed to hear. Whatever this feeling may be, whatever this thing between them was. It was mutual.

“You’re right about that,” Sophia chirped in, wholly unaware of the moment she had interrupted. “Only a very select few people can pull a piece like this off. Elizabeth appears to be one of them.”

“Elizabeth has that way about her,” Rio acknowledged, pulling his eyes away from hers in the mirror. He made quick work of detaching the clasps and handing it back to Sophia, who readjusted it back onto the display. “I think I’ll go with the second option.”

“Great choice!” Sophia exclaimed with a beaming smile, looking between the two. Beth returned the smile, but her mind was a million miles away as she replayed how right Rio had felt against her.

\- - - 

“Package for Elizabeth Boland,” a delivery driver called out hesitantly.

Beth had been outside washing her car as the kids had a water gun fight, enjoying the warm weather that came with late May.

She wrinkled her brow in contemplation as she signed for the box that weighed literally nothing.

The kids were occupied and relatively safe, so Beth quickly ran inside and came back out with a pair of scissors. She sat on the porch, out of the sun and used the scissors to cut open the box.

There was a small black box and on top of it, a thick piece of card stock.

_‘Some people need a lot of bling.  
You ain’t one of them.’ _

The cryptic note confused her further. Beth set it down and gently pried open the small black box.

Inside, sat a single round cut diamond that had been set on a thin silver chain.

Simple, classic and elegant all at once. It really was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to try and commit to five chapters of this fic, because some of you had ideas, which in turn gave me more ideas and well...here we are. 
> 
> In the next chapter: Beth sees Rio's kitchen.


	3. Keeping up with the Kardashians

“A diamond?” Annie exclaimed loudly, “A fucking diamond?!”

It hung from Beth’s neck on a thin, delicate looking chain that was actually deceptively strong.   

“I could understand the countertop if I _really_ stretched my imagination,” Ruby added, “But this? Uh uh. No way.”

“Diamonds?!” Annie repeated in utter disbelief, flopping back on the couch, throwing her arm over her head in a very Hollywood meets Victorian manner.

“Oh stop,” Beth countered, growing exasperated at her sister’s antics.

“My boss isn’t giving me diamonds,” Ruby shaded. “And we got the same boss.”

Beth opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She closed it again and just watched her sister silently losing her mind over on the couch. It was definitely a sight.

“Maybe this next cut should just be divided in two parts,” Ruby suggested coyly, “After all, Beth clearly already got hers.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny,” Beth mumbled as Annie and Ruby high-fived themselves for their supposed cleverness. “It’s not like I asked for any of it, it just...appeared.” She shrugged weakly.

It’s not like things had changed with them on a professional level. She still worked for him and he would always be in crime boss mode whenever they exchanged product. None of that was different.

It was these little favours that were drawing her for a loop. He didn’t _need_ her help with any of the tasks, but he insistent on her presence there regardless. She could feel herself starting to flush as she thought about his arm around her at the showroom, and the hold he had on her hair in the jewelry store.

She would never admit aloud how much she was starting to enjoy the time she spent with Rio in a non crime related manner.

\- - -

Things had quickly gone back to normal for Beth. The next three weeks were a mishmash of taking care of the kids, money laundering, volunteering for the school’s annual fundraiser, meeting up with her divorce lawyer, managing various play dates, managing her secret shoppers and even a quick trip across the border for a cute pair of shoes and millions in fake money.

She exited the dry cleaners with the dress she had worn to the lawyers and a cheque for the school fundraiser. She made a note of the place as a reminder to not rob it at any point in the near future.

Her phone started ringing as she fumbled with the car keys. She answered it without look, trying to unlock the door.

“Hello?”

“Elizabeth,” Rio drawled into her ear.

She almost dropped her newly cleaned dress. “Rio?”

“You free any night this week?” He asked, cutting to the chase.

“Uh, Emma has a dance recital on Wednesday that I would hate to miss,” Elizabeth pondered, mentally running through her schedule as she dropped the dress into the back and climbed into the driver’s seat. “Kenny and Danny both have soccer on Thursday and since the season just started, I really would like to be there for them. But maybe Friday? Jane has a sleepover, so she won’t be home, and I’m sure Dean would love to have the other three for the evening.”

“I’ll text you the address.” Then there was an audible click.

“Rude,” Beth muttered to the empty van as she tossed her phone aside and pulled out of the parking space.

\- - -

The text she had received from Rio hours before had left her frantic. It was short and curt, his usual style, but this one had some key words she had not anticipated such as _housewarming_ and _dinner_.

She smoothed her hands over her fitted black dress. The fabric stretched over her curves phenomenally,  highlighting all the parts she loved and hiding all the parts that came with pushing out four children. The dress ended right above her knee and she had paired it with a pair of nude pumps. In her hands, she had a tray of lasagna that she had quickly whipped up, because she was not about to show up empty handed.

The house that towered in front of her was only partially visible from the street, tucked in behind a grove of trees. The house itself was all grey brick and black accents. Big, but not massive. Much like all the other houses in their neighbourhood. Clearly expensive, but with no need to have to flaunt it. She was beginning to see a pattern.

She approached the double doors cautiously. They were a mix of black wood and glass. A camera discreetly pointed in the direction of the entrance to capture the movements of any visitor.

The door swung open before Beth had a chance to knock. Rio stood in front of her in his usual getup. Button up shirt and black pants. He gave her a slow once-over, pausing over her hips, waist and the diamond that was framed perfectly by the barest hint of cleavage that the dress displayed before reaching her eyes.

“Lasagna?” Beth said holding up the tray. He frowned, but took the tray from her hands.

“Didn’t need to bring anything,” He growled, moving aside to let her in.

The front foyer was gorgeous, with high ceilings and a winding staircase that lead to the second floor. On the right, there was doorway that was covered by a sheet of tarp that had been haphazardly hung up.

“Renovation,” Rio explained, noticing the what she had been looking at.

“Or a secret torture chamber,” Beth whispered under her breath as she followed Rio into the left wing of the house. She swore she heard him chuckle.

“Oh.” Beth’s eyes widened as she walked into her dream kitchen. She thought she had seen Rio’s vision when he had explained it to her, but this was well beyond that. It was stunning. The grey cabinets worked spectacularly well with the white of the lava stone and subway tile.  

“You were right about the butcher block,” Rio conceded, setting the tray down on top of it along with a vast array of other dishes.

The kitchen was a decent size, and it was evident that having the island double as a seating area was the way to go in here. Cramming a table in would have cluttered up the space, and she could see that the next room over was a formal dining room.

“This is amazing,” Beth gasped, admiring the top of the line stainless steel appliance with reverence.

Her eyes were drawn towards the massive floor to ceiling windows that made up the entire back wall, leading to an outdoor seating area on the patio and a beautiful pool beyond that. The pool looked like it was a part of the foliage that surrounded it. A massive rock feature that doubled as a waterfall, spilling into the water below. The branches of an immense oak tree hung over the pool in a tangled web.

In stark contrast to the wilderness theme of the pool area, the rest of the backyard was landscaped to a tee. Freshly mowed grass and geometric garden spaces that were surrounding a small koi pond. Trees bordered the entire property adding a feel of privacy. The houses in this area weren’t miles apart from one another, but the privacy made it seem as such.

“Nice right?” Rio asked, stepping up beside her to look outside.

“Understatement of the year,” Beth mumbled, tilting her head up to look at him. “What am I doing here?”

“A few of the neighbours are coming for dinner,” Rio stated, sounding none to pleased about the fact.

“Why?”

“Cause I don’t need more trouble,” Rio replied with a shake of his head, pushing away from the windows and over to the countertop where all the food sat. “Last thing I need is someone calling the cops when they see me around.”

“Oh.” Beth contemplated the statement carefully as Rio busied himself with the food. It made her uncomfortable that the idea of Rio being profiled had never crossed her mind. She could see it though, especially in an area like this where a high majority of the residents were probably upper class white people. A hispanic man with neck tattoos would raise suspicion. It didn’t even matter that he was a honest to goodness criminal, because so were a lot of people that lived in this area. White collar crime ran rampant amongst these circles. It was an open secret, and law enforcement was known to look the other way. It didn’t make any of it right, but she also wasn’t the person to ask when it came to her own budding criminal history.

“I thought meeting my girlfriend would ease their worries a bit,” Rio added dryly.

“We’re back on that again?”

“Well fiance and wife wouldn’t work, since you’re not exactly living here.”

Beth rolled her eyes, “So what’s the objective of the night? Keep up with the Jones’,”

“You mean Kardashians, right?” Rio corrected, leaving Beth flabbergasted. How young was this guy if he didn’t get the original reference? She knew he must be younger than her, but how much younger?

“I’m just fucking with you,” Rio laughed. It was the same laugh he used when they sat in the car together and talked about the FBI situation. She hadn’t heard it since then, but it left her with the same butterflies it had the first time.

“How old _are_ you?” Beth blurted out before she could think better of it. She was treated to the sound of that laugh again.

“How old do you think I am?” Rio purred, heat in his gaze as they looked at each other. Suddenly he was in front of her, bracketing her in against the counter, his arms on either side of her. The space between them was minuscule. “Give you a hint, only six years younger than you.”

Even simple math became hard due to the proximity of their bodies, but she managed to work it out. “You’re 34?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Why would it be a problem?”

With a slight shake of his head, he mumbled, “It wouldn’t be.”

He leaned in closer, his body now lightly pressed up against hers. She tilted her head up to look at him. He was so close.

Unconsciously, she closed the distance, lips lightly grazing against his.

There was a knock on the door.

Rio cussed, taking a step back.

“Go,” Beth said firmly, reading his reluctance, “I’ll finish up in here.”

\- - -

Dinner progressed throughout the night. Beth laughed with all the other stepford wives, and Rio charmed his way through all his conversations. It was quite thrilling actually, pulling off this sort of con.

“This lasagna is divine,” one of the women stated, taking another tiny bite. “You must give me the recipe.”

“Like you’ve ever cooked a day in your life,” Her husband teased, nudging her slightly, “Rio, you’re a lucky man. Rare to find a woman who cooks like this, and looks like that.” Beth tried not to visibly recoil at the greasy gaze that was aimed her way.

It had been happening all night. The men would make subtle comments about her appearance, and the women spent a lot of time flirting with Rio. The two of them were different to these people, and they were intrigued by different.

But they were comfortable. They had let their guards down as soon as Beth had walked into the dining room with a plate of food and a welcoming smile. Rio had introduced her as his girlfriend and Beth made all the small talk that was expected from a good hostess.

“So how did you two meet?” Another woman asked curiously.

“Oh it was the funniest thing,” Beth said with a laugh, eyeing Rio innocently, “I accidentally took something that belonged to him, and he tracked me down to get it back. And well, here we are.”

“It must have been something important,” Another guest chirped in.

“It was,” Rio answered, “Vital to my business.”

“He was very mad,” Beth added with a grin, “But I won him over eventually.”

“That you did.” Rio looked utterly delectable as he watched her across the table.

Not too long after that, dinner came to an end and Rio and Beth dutifully saw their guests off.  

“I’m going to go head out as well,” Beth said after she helped load the dishwasher. Rio nodded and lead her back out into the foyer.

“Thanks,” he said after an extended silence.

“I’m glad to have been able to help,” Beth answered genuinely, “Good night, Rio”

“Goodnight, Elizabeth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S BEEN RENEWED FOR A SECOND SEASON Y'ALL.


	4. Crime: A Family Affair

“But mom, you promised!” Danny whined, looking up at her with his big green eyes, drawing out the syllables in the words.

Beth huffed, hands on her hips, “It’s not like I planned on them being closed.” There was no point really, Beth decided as she looked over her four very disgruntled children. She promised them something she just couldn’t deliver on. Her only option was to deliver them a miracle. They would accept nothing less.

“Well, I mean we do have a connection,” Annie chirped up from her spot on the couch, tucked in next to Sadie who was taking the news much better than her cousins.

“No,” Beth shut down.

“Oh come on,” Annie argued, “He’s not even in town this weekend.”

Beth glanced at her brood again. They looked unsympathetic to her plight.

“Fine.”

\- - -

“I want it on the record that I think this is a very bad idea,” Ruby stated as they stood in front of the imposing house in front of them.

They were out of sight of the main street, but they were the opposite of inconspicuous with a herd of seven kids and an array of floatation devices and other pool toys.

“Too late now,” Annie replied happily as she ruffled the hair on Emma’s head, “So how do we get inside?”

“I used the door last time,” Beth hissed, already regretting this plan.

“The fence looks scale-able,”

“Be our guest,” Ruby interrupted, “Cause I sure ain’t going to be the one to do it.”

“Me neither,” Beth answered, turning to look at their last option.

With a long sigh, Annie relented. Ruby and Beth distracted the children while Annie tried to jump the fence as stealthily as possible.

“Whose house is this, mommy?” Jane asked sweetly.

“It’s, uh, a friend of mine. It’s his house,” Beth replied.

“Then why is Auntie Annie going over the fence?” Kenny asked, finger pointed at his aunt who was straddling the top and giving the kids a thumbs up, because of course she was.

“He’s not home right now,” Beth improvised, “And he forgot to hide the key for us.”

Kenny accepted it, but Jane didn’t look convinced, but she doesn’t question it further.

\- - -

The pool felt as glorious as it looked that day.

Emma and Harry splashed each other in the shallow end as Annie lounged and monitored the situation from close by.

Sadie jumped off the top of the man made cliff into the deep end as Danny and Kenny looked on in wonder, meanwhile Jane and Sara dawned their mermaid tails and played make believe.

Beth watched all this from the unicorn floatie in the center of the pool, a cold beer in her hand. Ruby nearby on a doughnut ring that looked like a doughnut.

“Cheers,” Ruby called out, holding up her wine cooler.

Annie held up a flask containing who knows what.

“One drink,” Beth reminded them, “We have to drive.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Annie waved them off, but she sets the flask aside on the edge of the pool.

“Ladies.”

Beth was so alarmed by the voice, that she flailed right off her unicorn and into the pool without a shred of grace.

She emerged, spluttering, as Rio watched on from the deck, face impassive.

She swam to the edge while Annie and Ruby exchanged worried glances.

Rio nodded towards the house and then turned his back on them.

Beth pulled herself out, dripping wet from head to toe as Ruby and Annie watched on. The kids unaffected by the sudden shift in mood.

With a last glance at her friends, she took the stairs up the deck and walked in through the open sliding door, into the kitchen. Rio leaned against the island, holding out her towel, which he must have nicked from her beach bag on his way in.

Beth wrapped it around herself briefly, and then dropped it to the floor to let it soak up the tiny puddle forming at her feet. She was aware of how much her black, one piece showed off with all it’s strategic cutouts. She shifted nervously as Rio’s eyes run down her body slowly.

“Breaking and entering? Not really your style,”

“Yeah, well, it never stopped you,” Beth replied, feeling ballsy.

“What are you doing here?”

“Swimming,” Beth answered curtly, running her fingers through the short, wet, red strands

“I can see that,” His eyes dipped downwards again.

“I thought you said you were going to be out of town this weekend,” Beth questioned, hands on her hips.

“Nah,” Rio countered with a subtle shake of his head. “Said I wasn’t gonna be around this weekend. There’s a difference.”

“But you’re here.”

“I live here.”

Beth scrunched her nose, knowing she was bested. She misinterpreted his meaning and now she had ten uninvited guests (including herself) hanging out in a pool that definitely did not belong to them. In fact, it belonged to a man who was very much wanted by most law enforcement agencies in this country.

“Have you been home this entire time?” It was a valid question. They had been lounging around for over and hour, and it was only now that Rio had decided to show himself.

Another subtle shake of his head, “I was working. Got an alert from the security system. Watched your sister climb my fence.”

“I didn’t have any other options,” the words pouring out of her mouth before she could stop them, “I promised to take the kids to the pool, but the public pool we normally go to is closed for maintenance, and they were really insistent and I knew you had a pool and I thought you were out and gone and wouldn’t know. They’ve been having a hard time with the divorce. I just wanted them to have a nice day.”

He pursed his lips slightly, “That husband of yours giving you trouble?”

“Soon to be ex-husband,” Beth corrected, “But no, not really. It’s just an adjustment for the kids. Dean may have been a horrible husband to me, but he’s a great father to them. We’ve decided to share custody of the kids and find a schedule that works for all of us. I think they’ll be okay once they realize that Dean isn’t going anywhere, he’ll still be around and still be their father, he just won’t live at the house anymore. That’s it.”

“Good. He wasn’t good enough for you.”

Beth tried to ignore the emergence of those fucking butterflies again. She reached up to tap the diamond around her neck. Rio zeroed in on the movement, and she swore that she saw the briefest hint of a grin on his face.

“I wanna show you something,” Rio said finally, “Your kids out there good?”

She was kind of touched that he wanted to make sure her kids were okay and looked after before he whisked her away for a few minutes. A quick glance out the window showed that Annie and Ruby had a good handle on things. “I can probably get away with being gone for a couple more minutes.”

Beth followed Rio into the front foyer and then up the stairs to the second floor of the house. A majority of the doorways are covered in tarps, preventing her from peeking in, but the double doors leading to what Beth guessed is the master is unblocked.

Rio pushed open the doors to reveal a newly renovated bedroom. The massive windows facing the backyard let in an ample amount of light. She could hear the kids in the pool having a ball.

The part that draws her in however, is the massive king size bed that is placed in front of a gorgeous exposed brick wall. She is certain she must have drooled while looking at it.

She felt Rio step up behind her. He was so close. His hot breath tickled her neck. She turned into him, his mouth a mere few inches from her own. Their lips crash together instantly. Hard and rough, going all in. His teeth nipped her bottom lip, tugging at the soft flesh until she moaned, melting into his arms.

They fell into the bed, Rio held himself up above her, pulling back from the kiss. They both pant audibly in the silence. Beth lifted her hips, craving the contact that he so selfishly withheld. He gave in soon enough and his hips followed along with the rhythm that Beth had set. She hadn’t felt this way in such a long time. They were making out and dry humping as if they were teenagers who were about to mess around for the first time in their life.

She felt his body hard and heavy above her own. He was barely holding himself up, doing his best to restrain himself as he dove in for another kiss. The wave of pleasure that rolled through her was utterly unexpected. Rio chuckled at her surprised expression, but Beth couldn’t even focus on that. She was too busy trying to understand how the man above her could make her come without even getting her out of her clothes.

Their kisses turned lighter, teasing. “I should probably get you back to your kids, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Beth agreed reluctantly. She watched him stand up, adjusting his pants slightly. He held his hand out for her, helping her up.

“I got your bed all wet,” Beth apologized, realizing her swimsuit was still pretty damp from the pool.

There was a devious glint in his eyes that sent a thrill through her. “Oh, I plan on that happening regularly.”

Beth kind of hoped for much of the same.

\- - -

“Well, well, well,” Annie teased as Beth stepped outside, looking much more unkempt than she had previously.

Beth just smiled, giving her sister and best friend a wink as Rio walked out behind her.

“Hey!” Kenny yelled, “I remember you! You helped me with my math homework. Wanna play catch?”

Beth watched Rio consider the offer before he nodded, “You any good?”

“Better than you probably,” Kenny fronted making Rio laugh.

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” Rio challenged, stepping down off the deck. He followed Kenny, Danny and Sadie out onto the open grass. Beth settled herself back on her unicorn floatie, watching the game. She couldn’t help the way her heartbeat sped up when Rio shed his shirt and chased after the kids barefoot, tossing Danny over his shoulder as they both went after Sadie and Kenny. Their peals of laughter floating up into the air.

Beth was utterly fucked. She had a crush on Rio whatever-the-fuck-his-last-name-was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I somehow forgot how to write. While writing this chapter, I at some point switched from past tense to present tense, and then couldn't figure out how to change it back to past tense. I am a mess lol. I did my best to get it all back to past tense, but please let me know if you notice any discrepancies that I may have missed.


	5. Bon Voyage: Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the final chapter, but I ended up splitting it into two parts

The next visit was unexpected. 

Beth had been lounging on the couch with a glass of wine when Rio strolled into her house with his hands in his pocket. He stopped in front of the couch and tugged his gun out from it’s designated spot in the back of his pants and rested it on her coffee table. 

Unexpected, but by no means surprising. 

He collapsed down beside her, sinking into the pillows. He looked tired. 

“Wine?” she offered but he just shook his head in refusal. 

“Nah, I got some business to deal with after this.”

“What can I do for you then?” Beth asked, taking a sip of her wine before settling it down on the table. 

“You got shared custody, yeah?”

“Yes,” Beth replied slowly, wondering where this conversation was going.

“I got a job,” Rio explained, “It’ll take a couple days. I need to know if you could get away?”

“How many days?” 

“Don't know, three or four.”

“When?”

“Whenever works for you.”

“Dean and the kids are heading up to his family’s cottage next week. First time I’m not going with them. I guess I could work this job sometime that week?”

“Alright,” Rio nodded, standing up. He tucked his gun back into the back of his pants, “I’ll message you with the details. On the burner.”

Beth watched him go, worried about what the multi day job would require. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit that it sent a thrill through her as well. 

\- - -

The kids had just left and Beth was enjoying some me time in front of the tv. She found herself enthralled by crime shows lately, especially the ones that showed life behind bars. She munched on some popcorn as she watched the inmate on the screen discuss the state of the shower. There was a hardcut to the shower in question which made Beth gag. 

“Glutton for punishment eh?”

Beth didn’t even flinch at the intrusion. She merely just turned her head to look up at the unexpected guest. He was dressed a little different than usual, trading in his button up shirt for a plain white tee and a blazer. He looked good. Real good. 

In his hands was a garment bag and a designer carry-on bag. “Put this on,” He said holding up the bag to her, “And toss whatever essentials you need in here.”

Beth took both bags from him and headed into her bedroom, “We’re going now?”

He didn’t reply. Beth looked over her shoulder to see that he was still following her, but his focus was on his phone. 

She rolled her eyes and carried on. She opened the suitcase and shoved in some of her underwear and and pjs. “What else do I need?”

“I got that covered,” Rio stated simply, “Just pack what you need. I have everything else.” 

“I have nice clothes, Rio,” Beth lamented as she pulled out a small travel bag of her make up, throwing that into the mix. 

“You don’t have what I need,” Rio replied with a tiny shrug, still focused on whatever was on his phone.

Beth huffed, picking up the garment bag and unzipped it. It contained a stunning cream coloured dress that was designed intentionally to be a bit over-sized. The material was soft and had some give to it, which was an added bonus.

Without much thought, Beth peeled off her maroon bloused and shimmed out of her mom jeans. From the corner of her eyes, she could see that Rio had suddenly become very interested in her and what she was doing, his phone no longer the most distracting thing in the room. She smiled a bit coyly to herself.

His warm, calloused hands reached out to grasp her around the waist, phone abandoned on the bed, along with the open garment bag. His fingers grazed over the soft skin of her sides as he closed the gap between their bodies.

Beth was the first one to move, wrapping her arms around his neck, dragging his mouth close enough to swipe her tongue across. He retaliated by taking her bottom lips between his teeth and worrying it until she groaned. 

Rio shifted to sit on the edge of the bed, dragging Beth along with him. She straddled his lap and proceeded to grind up against him to no avail. Suddenly, she found herself laying on her back as Rio hovered over her. 

“I really can’t mess up these clothes,” He drawled with the sexiest grin she had ever seen. It was enough to stop her heart and restart it all over again. “Fortunately, that’s not the case for you.”

He fell to his knees at the edge of the bed, pushing her legs open. He yanked the fabric of her underwear aside, leaving her exposed to him. Beth couldn’t really think straight, with the sight of him like that. Her back arched over it’s own accord as Rio flicked over her clit with his thumb. 

She was already soaked. 

His ministrations were slow and deliberate. Coaxing her right to the edge before pulling back again. His deft fingers were soon replaced an even more deft tongue. Beth really couldn’t take it much longer. His name was a chant on her lips by this point, only edging him on further and he finally pushed her over the edge. Her body convulsed the with power of the orgasm. Rio didn’t let up, pushing her to go over a second time and then a third until she was high on the pleasure she had received. When her clit became overly sensitive, she reached out put a hand on Rio’s head, causing him to stop immediately. He got up, still leaning over her, placing a soft kiss on her lips, letting her ride out the last few aftershocks of the previous three orgasms.

“That was…” Beth didn’t have words to finish that sentence effectively.

Rio helped her up, guiding her over to the bathroom where she would need to take yet another shower. “Be quick, We’re running late.”

\- - - 

The shift dress fit like a dream, which made sense, considering the label had the words  _ Louis Vuitton _ stitched onto it. It hit a couple of inches above her knees and the breathable fabric made it that much more appealing. She looked damn good.

Even Rio had a hint of a smile on his face. His eyes were dark and heady, as if the only thing he wanted to do was rip the dress right off again.

“What’s next?” Beth asked innocently.

“Memorize this,” throwing a passport at her.

Beth opened it to see her own face staring back at her, but other than that and the first half of her name, nothing looked familiar. 

Elizabeth Wells lived in Oakland county, which contained some of the wealthiest zip codes in the state. It was the same county Rio currently resided in and it also explained the dress. She was relatively the same age, but a few months off of her actual birthday.

“I am not using a fake passport,” Beth blanched. It was one thing to commit crimes when no one was really looking or paying attention. It was another thing completely to try and fuck with any type of border authority.

“Nothing about this passport is fake other than the info,” Rio confirmed, “It’s the real deal. Nothing fake or forged.”

Beth felt unsure, and it must have showed because Rio spoke up, “Do you trust me?”

It was a loaded question, because yes, of course she did. Even though she knew that it was stupid to do so. He wasn’t just some random low level gangbanger. He was the real deal. Rio would kill another person if he absolutely had to, and he wouldn’t lose any sleep over it either. 

“Against my better judgement,” Beth replied honestly. His lips quirked up at that. He knew how stupid it was to trust him. But it didn't change the fact that she did, and that, as much as he may have denied it, he trusted her too.

She nodded, “So where are we going?”

He didn’t tell her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it took so long to update this chapter. Hope you guys still want to read it. <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments, suggestions and constructive criticism always welcomed.


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